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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 1278¦ 013 N.o??? A Resolution APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL SUPPORTING TEXAS AIR CONTROL BOARD POST-82 CORRECTIVE STATE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN (SIP) 1987 U City Secretary of the ci:y of port Worth, Texas WHEREAS, the City of Fort Worth, Texas, supports clean air for its citizens, and, WHEREAS, the City of Fort Worth supports the Texas Air Control Board in their efforts to implement an approvable State Implementation Plan (SIP), and, WHEREAS, the City of Fort Worth supports reasonable and equitable means of controlling air pollution, and, WHEREAS, the City of Fort Worth supports continued cooperation between the Texas Air Control Board, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and local jurisdictions, and, WHEREAS, Mayor Pro tempore Bert C. Williams presented the City of Fort Worth position at the October 29, 1987 public hearing held by the Texas Air Control Board to address the proposed rule-making revisions to the post-82 corrective State Implementation Plan (SIP), and, WHEREAS, the City of Fort Worth staff has prepared a document commenting on the technical aspects of the proposed rules promulgated by the Texas Air Control Board as a prerequisite to the post-82 corrective State Implementa- tion Plan (SIP). NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of Fort Worth adopts the attached documents as the official position of the City, and directs the City Manager to submit this resolution to the Texas Air Control Board. Passed and approved this day of 1 CITY OF FORT WORTS e ? Pas ?M_-- *CETY OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS id!'son 0 October 29, 1987 Mr. Allen Eli Bell Executive Director TEXAS AIR CONTROL BOARD 6330 Hwy 290E - Austin, Texas 78723 Dear Mr Bell, Pursuant to the notification of proposed Air Control Board in the October 2, 1987 Register, the City of Fort Worth, Texas following comments OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER 1000 THROCKMORTON STREET FORT WORTH, TEXAS 76102 870-6111 J AREA CODE 817 rulemaking by the Texas edition of the Texas would like to make the Clean air is an invaluable asset and basic necessity for the healthful existence of mankind The City of Fort Worth recognizes this fact and the need to assure air quality for the health and welfare of its citizenry The City of Fort Worth also recognizes that practical, reasonable and effective measures to reduce air pol- lutants are necessary to protect the public health. In recognition of the serious issues involved and the responsibilities attendant thereto, the City of Fort Worth supports the Texas Air Control Board in this proposed rulemaking as a prerequisite to a state im- plementation plan showing near term attainment of the national ambient air quality standard for ozone. We would and do, however, encourage the Texas Air Control Board to seek re-evaluation of the ambient air quality standard and its scientific basis to ensure its relation to health benefits The Tarrant/Dallas region has de- creased the VOC emissions by 507 from 1982 to 1987, but a significant decrease in the ozone level has not ac- companied this reduction We have instead achieved a reduction in the overall number of days that the ozone standard is violated. That reduction may however, be attributable to weather conditions rather than control measures. It is for these reasons that we urge re- evaluation of the present ozone strategy. A major culprit of VOC emissions is the automobile, yet little is done to control emissions from this source A greater focus on control measures which address auto- mobiles is necessary to ensure clean air This focus must be on a national level. Although Stage 11 Vapor October 29, 1987 Mr. Allen Eli Bell Continued Page 2 recovery has been proposed as a possible control measure for the post-82 SIP, it is quite possible that the nation- wide adoption and use of on board canisters could make such measures as Stage II obsolete At a cost of $2929 per ton the use of Stage II as a stop gap measure could result in the shut down of many service stations. How- ever if Stage II vapor recovery is implemented, we encourage intergovernmental cooperation and coordination of Stage II with the underground storage tank program Such coordination will result in economic efficiency and conservation of resources. We urge TACB to push for nation-wide measures to control emissions from auto- mobiles through the use of on board canisters and Reid vapor pressure controls, carpooling and anti- tampering devices. S; A matter of great concern to the City of Fort Worth is the uncertainty of the target level for VOC reduction in the post-82 SIP The use of Mobile IV modeling to determine transportation control measures for a post- 82 SIP is questionable. This is so especially in light of the conflicts that have arisen over the use of figures which are generated by the modeling process. We further question the use of Mobile IV modeling techniques when the 1982 modeling standard was based on Mobile III modeling and data. We support the development and use of more specific modeling and data to produce clear target measures. Lack of clear, constant target data makes it difficult to determine necessary measures for target attainment With regard to specific rules as proposed in the Texas Register, we suggest the amendment of Section 115 113 to read that "fuel dispensing nozzles shall be hand operated and shall automatically shut off the flow of gasoline when the fuel tank is full." The purpose this language serves is to eliminate uncertainty and unre- liability of automatic fuel dispensing devices which can result in fuel spillage. October 29, 1987 Mr. Allen Eli Bell Continued Page 3 In conclusion the City of Fort Worth supports the Texas Air Control Board in its efforts to provide a SIP showing near term attainment of the national ambient air quality standard We urge that Stage II vapor recovery and consumer solvent regulation be considered only in the most dire of circumstances. We also support the ex- peditious presentation of the post-82 corrective state implementation plan to the Environmental Protection Agency Sincerely, Douglas A. arm City Manager DAH:DMB:mb 11 CITY OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS CITY COUNCIL CITY HALL/1000 THROCKMORTON STREET FORT WORTH, TEXAS 76102 870-6118/AREA CODE 817 COMMENTS TO THE TEXAS AIR CONTROL BOARD PROPOSED RULEMAKING Members of the Texas Air Control Board, citizens and interested parties. I am Bert Williams, Mayor Pro tempore of the City of Fort Worth, Texas. I come before you today to take advantage of this opportunity to comment on the proposed rulemaking tendered by the Air Control Board. I thank the Board for this opportunity to make these comments. 10-1 The past four months have been a cause of great concern for many of the citizens of North Texas. The citizens of Fort Worth and Tarrant County especially have shown concern about clean air in our community and how to achieve it. The Ai r Control Board has put forth a tremendous effort to revise the 1982 state implementation plan. We applaud this effort. We also give our wholehearted support to the continued cooperation between the Air Control Board and the Environmental Protection Agency in their pursuit of a new corrective state implementation plan showing near term attainment of national ambient air quality standards. We hope that these agencies can continue to work together to re-evaluate present ozone • strategy and to seek alternative means of assessing and controlling ambient air quality giving great emphasis to demonstrated public health benefits. We realize that some of the proposed control measures in .-= the new plan will require enormous sacrifice on behalf of our citizenry. But the controls are necessary for an approvable post-82 corrective state implementation plan. We also realize that many of the repercussions of these measures will be apparent only after their implementation. We are willing to endure the proposed control measures if clean air is the end product. We rejoice at the thought that our children will be able to breathe clean air. We are overjoyed at the prospect that our joggers and nature lovers will be able to enjoy nature, the great outdoors, and the amenities our city has to offer. We celebrate the fact that in the last five years from 1982 to 1987 that volatile organic compound emissions 10 have decreased fifty (50) percent in the Tarrant/Dallas region. Yet we can't help but wonder whether the present means of controlling air quality are effective in combating ozone problems. Though our emissions have decreased by fifty percent, we have yet to see correspondent reduction in ozone levels. It is for this reason that we support new and continued research in natural, rather than laboratory, settings to determine the actual effects of ozone on populations in cities. We also support effective, efficient and equitable means for obtaining attainment of air quality. In our quest to achieve this goal, we feel it is essential that perimeter counties be included in the Texas Air Control Board's efforts to provide a corrective state implementation plan showing attainment. It has also become abundantly clear that our city alone nor any city or state on its own will be able to successfully combat air -2- 0 pollution without uniform national standards for control addressing known contributors such as automobiles, therefore we actively support and encourage the Texas Air Control Board to seek state-wide implementation of full inspection of vehicles and vapor pressurization of fuels. We further urge both the Texas Air Control Board and the Environmental Protection Agency to push for national legislation which will make all cities safe places to live and breathe. In conclusion, we feel that the proposed control measures set forth by the Texas Air Control Board are essential for the approval of a state implementation plan showing attainment of ambient air quality standards. We also feel that it is critical that Tarrant, Dallas and the surrounding counties be included in and supportive of the Texas Control Board's efforts. The future of our lives and prosperity is at stake. I thank you for this opportunity to make these comments and encourage the Texas Air Control Board to rapidly move forward to implement these regulations and present them to the Environmental Protection Agency as part of the post-82 corrective state implementation plan. DPI B /s f Or ccc -3-